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Amtrak: See the Eclipse in Carbondale, Ill., Without Driving


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#1 CNJRoss

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Posted 27 June 2017 - 09:59 PM

Amtrak news release:

See the Eclipse in Carbondale, Ill., Without Driving

 

June 27, 2017

Discounted Amtrak tickets still available from Chicago and points north

 

CHICAGO – Join the many who will travel to Carbondale, Ill. to experience a total solar eclipse in August and take it easy by riding Amtrak while saving 30-percent on trips aboard the Illini or Saluki trains between Aug.16 and 22.

 

On Aug. 21, North America will experience its first coast-to-coast total solar eclipse in nearly a century. The eclipse will move across the continent at a speed greater than 930 mph and stretch from Oregon to South Carolina. It will have the longest duration near Carbondale, where it is expected to last for 2 minutes and 38 seconds, Viewers will want to be at the prime viewing destination no later than noon CDT that Monday. For more information, see the posting at blog.Amtrak.com.

 

Amtrak has the trains to get you (and your bicycle, too) to the prime viewing areas while avoiding the long drive up and down Interstate 57. Amtrak is a sponsor of the Carbondale Eclipse event, so the Amtrak travelmark is on viewing glasses distributed by Carbondale Tourism at the Eclipse Marketplace. Space for bicycles on the trains is limited, as are supplies of the souvenir glasses.

 

Discounted adult fares between Chicago to Carbondale on the Illini and Saluki are still available for as little as $24 each way, plus $10 each way for a bicycle. Amtrak operates the Illini and Saluki (Trains 390-393) under a contract with the Illinois Department of Transportation. Amtrak has you covered coming from Kentucky, Tennessee and points south on the City of New Orleans trains to and from Carbondale, with a sample adult fare of $42 each way from Memphis.

 

 

 



#2 CNJRoss

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Posted 06 August 2017 - 07:39 PM

Amtrak news release:

NatCarEclispe_082117_web.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

Take Amtrak to Carbondale for a Total Solar Eclipse Experience without Expensive Lodging or Driving

 

August 6, 2017

 

Special train offers same-day round-trip from Chicago and Champaign

 

CHICAGO – If you want to be in Carbondale, Ill., the best place in the U.S. to see the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, Amtrak has a new option: nap your way from Chicago or Champaign and back on the Amtrak Eclipse Express. There’s no need for expensive lodging or driving. Instead, you can spend the day enjoying the cosmic event, thanks to an Amtrak partnership with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and CN railway, which owns the route.

 

Early in the morning of Aug. 21, for $153 adult round-trip from Chicago Union Station or $90 per adult round-trip from Champaign, we will dim the lights as you recline in a comfortable coach seat, enjoy cellular-based AmtrakConnect® Wi-Fi or have a snack or a beverage from the café car. Both the main entrance to Chicago Union Station at 225 S. Canal St. and the café car will be open prior to the 3:00 a.m. departure. The Champaign departure is at 5:05 a.m.

 

Each customer will receive eclipse viewing glasses, compliments of Amtrak and Carbondale Tourism, before arrival in Carbondale at 8:30 a.m. The Amtrak Eclipse Express will leave Carbondale at 5:15 p.m. to return to Champaign at 7:55 p.m. and to Chicago at 10:45 p.m., after a full day of fun (all times Central). A souvenir timetable is available for downloading Monday.

 

Amtrak, a sponsor of the Carbondale Eclipse celebration, invites everyone to visit vendors at the Eclipse Marketplace or take in the tunes at the Family Fun Zone and Shadowfest, all within walking distance of the Amtrak station at 401 S. Illinois Ave. Amtrak customers can get a discounted ticket to enjoy Eclipse Day at Southern Illinois University’s Saluki Stadium by buying online from the university’s website and entering the promo code TRAIN.

 

This is the first North American coast-to-coast total solar eclipse in about a century. It is predicted to have the longest duration near Carbondale at 1:28 p.m. for 2 minutes, 38 seconds.

 

The Amtrak Eclipse Express is expected to quickly sell out on Amtrak.com, the Amtrak mobile apps, by calling 800-USA-RAIL or from a station ticket window. Some of the six other daily Amtrak trains between Chicago and Carbondale, via Champaign, still have space during the eclipse celebration weekend and are the only trains taking reservations for customers traveling with pets or bicycles.

 

Other ways to use Amtrak to witness history in Carbondale:

If you want to go between Chicago or Downstate Illinois and Carbondale in the days leading up to the 21st or after, you can save 30 percent. Just make sure to book before Aug. 21, to take advantage of these impressive savings on the IDOT-sponsored Illini and Saluki trains with remaining space.

 

There is also space still available to arrive in Carbondale early on Aug. 21  from Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi or Louisiana, with a return to the south early the morning of the 22nd, on Amtrak City of New Orleans trains. Equipped with sleeping cars or reclining coach seats with leg rests and foot rests, the famous train functions as its own lodging and restaurant as it travels to and from Memphis, Jackson, New Orleans and intermediate stops, with a sample adult fare of $42 each way between Memphis and Carbondale.

 

 



#3 CNJRoss

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Posted 07 August 2017 - 09:27 PM

Amtrak Passenger Advisory:

 

Special Train Added to Carbondale for Solar Eclipse

 

 

Effective Monday, August 21, 2017

 

On Monday, August 21, 2017 a total solar eclipse of the sun will occur across much of the United States, reaching its point of greatest duration a few miles south of Carbondale, IL. Amtrak will operate a special train, the Amtrak Eclipse Express, which will take customers to see the first North American coast-to-coast total solar eclipse in nearly a century. This service is being operated thanks to an Amtrak partnership with the Illinois Department of Transportation and CN Railway, which owns the route.

 

Train Schedule (all times CT)
  • Train 399 will depart Chicago Union Station at 3:00 am, or Champaign-Urbana at 5:05 am and arrive at Carbondale at 8:30 am.
  • Train 398 will depart Carbondale at 5:15 pm and arrive at Champaign-Urbana at 7:55 pm and Chicago at 10:45 pm.
Aboard The Train

Early in the morning of August 21, we will dim the lights as you recline in a comfortable coach seat, enjoy cellular-based AmtrakConnect® Wi-Fi, or purchase a snack or a beverage from the Café Car. Both the main entrance to Chicago Union Station at 225 South Canal Street and the Café Car will be open prior to the 3:00 am CT departure.

 

Each customer boarding at Chicago and Champaign will receive eclipse viewing glasses, compliments of Amtrak and Carbondale Tourism. The special train will return to Champaign and Chicago that evening after a full day of fun.

 

Get Your Tickets Today

Tickets are expected to quickly sell out on Amtrak.com, the Amtrak mobile apps, by calling 800-USA-RAIL or at a station ticket office. While pet and bicycle reservations are not offered on the Amtrak Eclipse Express, both are welcome aboard six other daily Amtrak trains between Chicago, Champaign and Carbondale.

 



#4 CNJRoss

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Posted 08 August 2017 - 09:18 AM

WLS-TV Chicago 8/7/17:
 

Amtrak solar eclipse train sold out

 

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Amtrak planned a special train route to make the most out of the solar eclipse, but it was so popular that it sold out in the less than a day.

The Carbondale area in southern Illinois is considered the best place in the U.S. to see the total solar eclipse on August 21.

So at 3 a.m. on the morning of August 21 Amtrak will run a special train from Chicago to Carbondale. The train route was so popular that it sold out 22 hours after going on sale.

 

Continue here.



#5 KevinKorell

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Posted 09 August 2017 - 04:22 PM

Chicago, IL Tribune Column, 8/9/17:

 


 

Column: Amtrak's eclipse train shows value of nation's rail passenger service

 

 

If you've seen one solar eclipse, you've seen them all, but the excitement of viewing one of the rare astronomical events later this month is prompting folks from across the nation to get into eclipse mode.

 

Like Amtrak, the nation's underfunded rail passenger service.

 

Complete column continues



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#6 KevinKorell

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Posted 15 August 2017 - 05:38 PM

Herald-Whig, Quincy, IL, 8/15/17:

 


Amtrak urging train riders to visit Quincy to see partial eclipse

 

 

Amtrak is pitching round-trip train rides to Quincy so Chicago-area residents can see the partial eclipse Monday before taking the train back home that night.

 

Marc Magliari, a spokesman in Amtrak's Chicago office, said the idea of urging Chicagoans to travel to Quincy to see the eclipse surfaced after a special round-trip Amtrak train to Carbondale sold out in less than a day.

 

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